Rubella outbreak: CDC updates travel advisory for Japan

Last October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued the initial travel notice for Japan due to a rubella outbreak.

This week they updated the notice. Since the beginning of the year through Mar. 3, Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases reports 768 rubella cases.

Most cases continue to be reported in the Kanto region –Tokyo (212), Kanagawa (114), Chiba (79), and Saitama (44).

Travelers to Japan should make sure they are vaccinated against rubella with the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine before travel.

Rubella is very dangerous for a pregnant woman and her developing baby. Pregnant women who are not protected against rubella through either vaccination or previous rubella infection should not travel to Japan during this outbreak.

Travel advisory issued for Japan over measles outbreak

Rubella, also called German measles, is a disease spread by the coughs and sneezes of infected people. Symptoms include rash and fever for 2–3 days. Rubella is very dangerous for a pregnant woman and her developing baby. If a pregnant woman gets rubella virus, her baby could have birth defects such as deafness, cataracts (blurred vision), heart defects, mental disabilities, and organ damage.

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